Press Syndicate files complaint against Zamalek chairman to Attorney General

CAIRO – 13 November 2018: The Press Syndicate filed a complaint to Attorney-General Nabil Sadek on Monday against Zamalek Club Chairman after a number of journalists said they were assaulted by the club's security guards.

The complaint was also issued against the club's board of directors, the club's executive manager and the club's security director.

The Press Syndicate decided in an urgent meeting held on Nov. 10 to prohibit media from publishing the club's chairman's name or photo for a year.

Violators will be referred to the syndicate for investigation, said Head of the syndicate Abdel Mohsen Salama.

A number of journalists who are members of the club say they were prevented from entering the club and were assaulted by the club's security guards on Tuesday.

In a statement, the assaulted journalists condemned "the blatant assault" after the club's chairman ordered to prevent them from entering the club, according to media reports.

"We were clearly assaulted and humiliated before club members, workers and passers-by in front of the main club door," the statement added.

In an interview with al-Shorouk, Salama said that the syndicate will also communicate with the Youth Ministry and the Egyptian Olympic Committee, affirming the syndicate's support to its members in the legal procedures they took against the club's chairman.

A suggestion by the club's chairman to appear at the syndicate in order to resolve the crisis was rejected by the syndicate's board, said Salama, adding that further suggestions will be discussed by the board.

Zamalek Club chairman is a member in Egypt's House of Representatives. Many demands had been issued to the Parliament to lift the immunity off the controversial club's chairman, in order to allow investigating him. However, all demands were rejected by Parliament.

On October 20, the General Assembly of the Egyptian Olympic Committee decided to suspend the chairman of Zamalek club from practicing any sports activity for a two-year period.